What is an accessibility feature?

What is an accessibility feature, and how can it help me?

An accessibility feature (also known as Assistive Technology or AT) generally refers to built-in software or a third-party app that can help people with impairments and disabilities use popular consumer devices.

Most popular devices such as computers, smartphones and tablets already have useful accessibity features out-of-the-box as part of what you get with best-selling operating systems like Google Android and Microsoft Windows.

Here are some examples of common accessibility features in popular products:

Screen reader: A text-to-speech application that reads out computer and internet-related information to assist people who are blind or vision impaired.

Screen magnifier: A magnification tool for enlarging screen content.

Themes: High-contrast themes allow people with visual impairments to change the colours to a more comfortable setting (such as white-on-black), and increase the size of mouse pointers and text.

On-screen keyboard: Enables people with mobility impairments to ‘type’ by using a pointing device to select letters and words on the screen.

On-screen alerts: Visual messages can appear in place of audible sounds to help people who are Deaf or hearing impaired.

While the quality and type of accessibility features vary between operating systems and devices, most modern consumer computers, smartphones and tablets contain them in some form.

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This website has been put together by Media Access Australia with support provided by the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN). The operation of ACCAN is made possible by funding provided by the Commonwealth of Australia under section 593 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. This funding is recovered from charges on telecommunications carriers.